Sprinkler guard

ABSTRACT

A wire guard for a pendent or upright sprinkler head, the guard being adapted for installation with one hand. Each of a number of depending wire stirrups lies in a plane with its ends fastened to a spreadable circumferential wire base loop. The base loop is discontinuous with a fastening and sprinkler head engaging means spanning the discontinuity. The base loop is resilient in a region opposite the discontinuity to permit the guard to be installed upon a sprinkler head.

Waited States Patent 1 g Gray etal. 1 Mar. 19, 1974 1 SPRINKLER GUARD 3.361.364 H1968 Purtell 239/2885 3,393,746 7/1968 Hodnett.. 169/42 x [75] lnvemms- Gray wm'am K 3,514,040 5/1970 Carson 239/2885 both of Raynham, Mass.

Assignee: Hodgman Manufacturing Co., Inc.,

Taunton, Mass.

Filed: Aug. 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 281,517

US. Cl 239/2885, 169/37, 240/102 R Int. Cl B051) 1/28 Field of Search 239/288, 288.3, 2885;

169/37, 42; 240/102 R, 102 A, 102 B References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1913 Moore 239/2885 X Primary Examiner--M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love [5 7] ABSTRACT A wire guard for a pendent or upright sprinkler head, the guard being adapted for installation with one hand. Each of a number of depending wire stirrups lies in a plane with its ends fastened to a spreadable circumferential wire base loop. The base loop is discontinuous with a fastening and sprinkler head engaging means spanning the discontinuity. The base loop is resilient in a region opposite the discontinuity to permit the guard to be installed upon a sprinkler head.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SPRINKLER GUARD BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to guards for sprinkler heads in fire protection systems. More particularly, the invention concerns guards suitable for installation upon previously installed pendent sprinkler heads, although it will be apparent that application to upright sprinkler heads are also possible.

Pendent sprinkler heads are normally located close to ceilings or in any case well above the floor level. It is frequently necessary to provide physical protection for the sprinkler heads, especially in industrial installations, and a variety of open wire basket-like structures have been developed for this purpose. Typically the sprinkler head is installed first, after which the wire guard is mounted and fastened in plate around it. Preferably, the guard is so formed and installed as to provide maximum protection for the acutating elements of the sprinkler head. These elements are oridinarily fusible links adapted to release a valve cap at a predetermined temperature. Upon release, a jet of water is directed downwardly against a slotted spreader plate and distributed radially thereby so as to produce a shower with a diameter of several feet. The guard is ideally so constructed that it does not interfere materially with thepattern of water distribution.

Access for purposes of installing a sprinkler guard ordinarily requires the use of a ladder, staging or scaffold. An object of this invention is to provide an improved sprinkler head guard that not only provides the above functions, but also permits installation by a workman with only one hand, leaving the other hand free to grasp the ladder or other means in use. This materially adds to the safety of installation. Sprinkler guards commonly in present use are difficult or impossible to install with a single hand.

With the foregoing and other objects hereinafter appearing in view, this invention provides a novel construction for a sprinkler head guard that is based on the provision of a circumferentially spreadable base loop that has a discontinuity and resiliency at least in the region substantially opposite the discontinuity, so that it may be spread open for installation upon a sprinkler head. A number of wire stirrups depend from the base loop, each being fastened thereto at two places. Sprinkler head engaging means are fastened across the base loop and span its discontinuity so that they move apart when the base loop is spread open. When the base loop is in place on the sprinkler head and returns toward its closed position, the sprinkler head engaging means securely engage the sprinkler head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a view of a preferred form of the sprinkler head guard, shown fully installed upon a pendent sprin' kler head.

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. ll.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the sprinkler head guard in a deflected position while being installed upon a sprinkler head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. I shows atypical form of conventional pendent sprinkler head casing 12 having a threaded nipple 14, a rectangular boss IS with flats 16, and two integral depending arms 18 joined at their lower ends. A valve cap 20 is held in position to close the passage through the nipple by a pair of hooked members 22 wedged together and extending between the cap and fulcrum 24. The members 22 are held in position by a pair of links 26 to which they are respectively hooked. The links are soldered together with a solder that melts at the predetermined temperature for release of the sprinkler valve cap. A deflection plate 28 having radial slots is commonly secured to the sprinkler head below the fulcrum 24.

The sprinkler head guard, designated generally at 30, has a wire base loop 32 preferably formed in a square shape. This shape has been found advantageous for use in or adjacent to structural steel members, although it will be obvious that a structure having similar advantages and features can be readily produced with a base loop 32 of circular or other curved configuration.

The base loop 32 has a discontinuity or opening 34 of sufficient size to pass around the sprinkler head 12 with the latter installed and its nipple l4 threaded into a pipe in the fire protection system (not shown). The base loop 32 also has a resilient region opposite the discontinuity, designated generally at 36, thereby permitting the loop to be spread open slightly to widen the discontinuity 34 to faciliate its assembly on the sprinkler head 12 as shown in FIG. 3.

A number of wire stirrups 38, 40 and 42 depend from the base loop 32, and each is welded thereto at both of its ends, thereby providing a structure of substantial rigidity. The stirrups are so located in relation to the base loop that they do not materially interfere with the above-mentioned resiliency in the region 36. Preferably, each of the stirrups lies in a plane and the planes of the stirrups intersect substantially in a common vertical line coincident with the axis through the nipple l4 and the fulcrum 24. Thus the stirrups pass over and adjacent one another in a region below the deflection plate 28 where they do not interfere with the pattern of water distribution.

The stirrups 38 and 40 preferably have their ends secured at the corners of the square formed by the base loop 32. The stirrup 42 is preferably attached at the mid points of the two opposed sides of the square that are adjacent the sides containing the discontinuity 34 and the resilient region 36.

The sprinkler head engaging means comprise a pair of wire members 44 and 46, each being welded at both ends to the base loop 32. Each of these members is welded at one end to a point adjacent the region 36 of resiliency, and at the other end to a side of the discontinuity 34. Each of the members 44 and 46 has a curved depending loop 43 having portions overlying and in contact with the boss 15 with a portion overlying and in contact with a flat 16 on the boss as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

To install the guard upon the sprinkler head, the discontinuity 34 is located adjacent the boss 15 with the loops 48 aligned with the flats l6, theregy ensuring that when installation is completed the stirrup 42 will be located in a position opposite the links 26 where it will be located in a position opposite the links 26 where it will provide maximum protection to these parts. The guard is then pushed over the head, thereby automatically deflecting the resilient region 36 of the base loop. with the various parts assuming the positions illustrated in FIG. 3. Ultimately, the depending loops 48 reach positions over the flats 16 as shown in FIG. 1 and 2 and the parts spring back to the positions illustrated in FIG. 2. Although the guard will tend to remain in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by reason of the inherent resiliency in the wire base loop, fastening means are preferably provided in the form of a wire hook 50. One end of this hook is looped about the member 46, and the other end is formed into a hook to engage resiliently with the member 44. As shown in FIG. 1 the hook 50 is so oriented in the fully installed position that if the base loop were forced inwardly in a direction tending to further close the discontinuity 34, thereby releasing the resilient pressure on the hook 50, the latter would remain in the hooked position by gravity. This provision ensures against inadvertent unlatching of the guard.

The guard may be easily installed with only one hand by first pushing it over the sprinkler head as described above where it is retained by reason of the configuration of the depending loops 48 and resilient pressure exerted by the region 36 and other portions of the base loop, then swinging the hook 50 over to a position with its hook end above and starting to engage with the member 44, and finally squeezing the base loop together by grasping it with one hand on each side of the discontinuity 34, or by grasping the adjacent sides of the stirrups 38 and 40 in like manner, so that the hook portion falls over the member 44 into the fully hooked position.

When the guard is fully installed on the sprinkler head as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it cannot fall off the sprinkler head because of the loops 48 on the members 44 and 46 which have portions overlying the boss 15. Also, the guard cannot be rotated upon the sprinkler head by reason of the engagement of the loops 48 with the flats 16.

We claim:

1. A guard for a sprinkler head comprising, in combination,

a base loop formed substantially in a first plane, said loop being discontinuous and resilient in a region substantially opposite the discontinuity, and having means spanning the discontinuity for engaging a sprinkler head,

and a plurality of wire stirrups each lying substantially in a plane normal to said first plane and fastened at two points to the base loop,

said sprinkler head engaging means comprising a pair of elements each attached at one end to the base loop adjacent its resilient region and at the other end to a separate side of the discontinuity.

2. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop has a fastening spanning the discontinuity.

3. A guard according to claim 2, in which the fastening is a hook.

4. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop has a fastening engageable with both elements of the sprinkler head engaging means adjacent the discontinuity.

5. A guard according to claim 4, in which the fastening comprises a hook having a loop end pivoted on one element of the sprinkler head engaging means and a hook end engageable with the other element thereof.

6. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop is formed of wire and the stirrups are welded thereto.

7. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop and sprinkler head engaging means are formed of wire.

8. A guard according to claim 1, in which each element of the sprinkler head engaging means comprises a wire formed in a central region thereof for engaging a flat surface on the sprinkler head.

9. A guard according to claim 1, in which the planes of the stirrups intersect substantially in a common line normal to the first plane. 

1. A guard for a sprinkler head comprising, in combination, a base loop formed substantially in a first plane, said loop being discontinuous and resilient in a region substantially opposite the discontinuity, and having means spanning the discontinuity for engaging a sprinkler head, and a plurality of wire stirrups each lying substantially in a plane normal to said first plane and fastened at two points to the base loop, said sprinkler head engaging means comprising a pair of elements each attached at one end to the base loop adjacent its resilient region and at the other end to a separate side of the discontinuity.
 2. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop has a fastening spanning the discontinuity.
 3. A guard according to claim 2, in which the fastening is a hook.
 4. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop has a fastening engageable with both elements of the sprinkler head engaging means adjacent the discontinuity.
 5. A guard according to claim 4, in which the fastening comprises a hook having a loop end pivoted on one element of the sprinkler head engaging means and a hook end engageable with the other element thereof.
 6. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop is formed of wire and the stirrups are welded thereto.
 7. A guard according to claim 1, in which the base loop and sprinkler head engaging means are formed of wire.
 8. A guard according to claim 1, in which each element of the sprinkler head engaging means comprises a wire formed in a central region thereof for engaging a flat surface on the sprinkler head.
 9. A guard according to claim 1, in which the planes of the stirrups intersect substantially in a common line normal to the first plane. 